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A New Guide: Interview Questions for Teachers of Every Grade & Subject

Secondary – Special Education

1. What do you believe are the three major challenges facing special education today?

2. A special education teacher must be both organized and flexible. Give examples of ways that you have demonstrated both of these characteristics.

3. What does “teamwork” mean to you as a special education teacher?

4. How would you communicate with the parents of your students? What issues would prompt you to contact them?

5. How would you delegate responsibilities to a paraprofessional and monitor his/her performance?

6. How do you evaluate your own teaching skills to insure continual growth and refinement?

7. Paperwork/documentation is a strong concern in the area of special education. How will you manage those demands, in addition to your teaching responsibilities?

8. Describe the components of a reevaluation report.

9. Describe the main components of an IEP and what should go into each section.

10. One of the challenges for a special education teacher is documentation. How would you collect and record necessary data for the students’ ERs, IEPs, and NOREPs?

11. Describe how you would determine and deliver appropriate individualized instruction to the students.

12. What types of assessment have you used? What assessments would you use to document student learning and plan for future instruction? How would you use assessment to develop and modify IEP goals?

13. Unfortunately, there are some negative elements that you will encounter within the profession. How will you interact with those individuals so they will not alter focus?

14. To what specific area of special education are you most attracted and why?

15. Aside from your coursework, what additional reading have you done that is pertinent to your field?

16. The US Department of Education now recommends that schools use the RTI (“Response to Intervention” or “Response to Instruction”) Model rather than the Discrepancy Model to identify children with specific learning disabilities. Tell us what you know about this model.

17. How do you integrate technology into your teaching? Have you had any experience with specific technology to support the needs of special education students?

18. Given a wide range of ability levels in a classroom, how do you assure compliance with each child’s IEP?

19. Have you had any experience supporting students with IEPs in the regular classroom? How have you or would you do this?

20. What are your views on inclusion versus self-containment of special education students?

21. What would you do to address inclusionary support with the general education staff? How would you deal with a general education teacher who refused to honor IEP modifications for the special education students in their classrooms?

22. A general education teacher is concerned that a child with an IEP does not belong in her classroom due to behavior problems. How do you respond?

23. What do you feel is the best service delivery model for special education students?

24. How familiar are you with the IDEA guidelines for special education? What are some of the timelines related to IEPs?

25. Explain the impact of the Gaskins’ settlement on special education in the public school setting.

26. Describe both a successful and a challenging collaboration experience with a general education teacher.

27. How will you coordinate/facilitate instruction to meet Adequate Yearly Progress goals?

28. Why do you want to work in this district/IU? Why should we hire you? What distinguishes you from the other candidates who applied for this position?

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